


The Night Before Christmas

by Ghost_Rider_of_the_Aragon



Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Other, Pre-Established Relationship, Santa!Abe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 10:18:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9176617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghost_Rider_of_the_Aragon/pseuds/Ghost_Rider_of_the_Aragon
Summary: When Henry and Jo are called away for a case on Christmas Eve, it's up to Abe to keep his little brother distracted from his parents' absence.  Will little Abner have a Merry Christmas after all, even without his parents?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sonneta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sonneta/gifts).



Henry watches the disappointment fall over his son’s face. Abner had been promised a Christmas with Mama and Daddy, and now thanks to some madman with a gun, he wouldn’t get it.  
“But you promised…” he whimpers.  
“You will have to stay with Abe, my dear boy. I’m sorry. But Mama and I will be back before you wake up. I promise.” Henry assures his youngest.  
“Will Santa still come?”  
“Yes. And we will get to see you open your presents in the morning.”  
“Okay.” Abner sulks, and he runs to his bedroom without another word. Henry stands slowly, looking a little hurt.   
“Don’t worry about it, Henry, I’ll bring him around.” Abe says. “I promise. He’ll be just fine.”  
“I hate seeing him so disappointed.” Henry sighs.   
“We’ll be back in the morning. Abe’s right. And there’s always next year.” Jo murmurs, resting a hand on his arm and guiding him towards the steps. Henry casts one last longing look towards the hallway, and follows after his wife.

***  
The case is simple really, an open-and-shut murder/missing person’s case. Henry and Jo are on the hunt, with Hanson at their heels. The missing person is a young woman, and the killer, her jealous ex-boyfriend.   
Hanson, as usual, kicks down the door and clears the first room of the apartment. Jo goes in second, and Henry follows behind, scanning for any sign of the young lady. He hears a low groan and his attention is drawn to the kitchen. The missing girl is lying on the floor, arms wrapped around her middle, trying to shield her rounded belly. Henry checks her over for any wounds before taking her hand.   
“Miss? Miss, you’re safe now, the police are here, let’s try and get you down to the cars…” he says, making note of the dark stains on her jeans.   
Not blood.   
Looks like they are working on limited time.  
“Mmmhh...can’t…” she whimpers, her hand searching for his. “The baby…” Henry shakes his head.   
“I’m going to help, but we need to get out of here first, I’m sorry.” He helps her up gently, letting her lean on him, and keeping himself between her and any possible gunfire. 

***

Abner lays awake in bed. He did enjoy spending time with Abe, but he was used to Jo tucking him in, and Henry telling him a story. He sniffs back a few tears, his little chest aching with loneliness. Mama’s kisses and Daddy’s voice at bedtime were so ingrained in his mind, this felt wrong. Silently, he vows to himself to stay awake until they get home.  
His childish ruminations are interrupted when he hears a floorboard creak. Grabbing his plastic samurai sword (from a carnival Abe had taken him to), he slowly wanders down the hall towards the living room. He gasps when he sees a figure in a red velvet suit.   
“Santa?” he asks softly, his sword falling to the side with a soft clatter.

***

Jo and Hanson come back down from the apartment to find Henry and the girl. He has her sitting in the backseat of one of the squad cars, holding her hand and coaching her breathing. They can all hear sirens from the ambulances in the distance.  
“How is she?” Jo asks, moving to Henry’s side.  
“Good, hopefully better once the paramedics get here with some proper equipment and anesthetics.” Henry says, wincing a little as his patient’s hand tightens around his.   
“What’s your name, sweetie?” Jo asks, trying to distract her while the medics get the stretcher and the proper meds. She knows her name already, but it’s better to introduce one’s self slowly in a situation like this.  
“Krista…”  
“I’m Jo, this is my husband, Henry. Just hold on, Krista, everything is gonna be okay.”

***

Abner smiles, helping Santa put gifts in his Mama and Daddy’s stockings. And Uncle Abe. “But what about me?” he asks.   
“Well, I can’t set your presents out in front of you, that would ruin the surprise.” Santa says, laughing quietly. “You’ll have to go back to sleep. You’ve helped me so much already.” Abner scowls. This Santa sounds an awful lot like Uncle Abe, but he pays no heed to it.  
“Cookies and milk for both of us first.” He insists, taking Santa by the hand and leading him to the kitchen.  
“That sounds wonderful.” 

***

Later that night, Henry and Jo are driving home from the station, still reeling from the evening’s events.   
“At least we get to keep our promise to Abner…” Henry sighs.   
“Yeah...Hopefully he didn’t cause too much trouble for Abe...I still can’t believe how well the case turned out, though…” Jo says, keeping her eyes on the road, while Henry watches the streetlights go by.  
“Yes. Very lucky we got there when we did…The girl and the baby would both be dead if not for you and Hanson.”  
“And you…” Jo adds, smirking a little. “Doctor.”   
“Fine, fine, me too, but you’re the one who apprehended him. I only waited with her until the ambulance arrived.”  
“It brought back memories, you know?” Jo smiles, remembering a winter’s day almost 5 years ago, where she had been the patient.   
“Indeed it did. I just hope that our baby isn’t too upset with how late we were out.” He smirks.  
“He’s probably sound asleep, and none the wiser.” Jo says.

***

Henry and Jo walk into the apartment and stop in surprise when the see Abner and Abe both asleep on the couch. Abe is in full Santa Claus regalia, and Abner is sprawled across his chest, his thumb in his mouth.   
“I’m pinned…” Abe whispers quietly. He doesn’t want to wake the child up, it might ruin the secret. “Don’t just stand there…” Jo has her cellphone out, and has already snapped a couple pictures.   
"Oh no, this is too good to pass up..." she laughs quietly, pocketing the phone. Jo's evidence procured, Henry carefully picks up his youngest son, and carries him off to his room. Jo helps Abe up, and assists him in getting out of the costume.  
“Thank you...It means so much to him…”  
“Nah, nah it’s fine…Little tyke needed the company.” Abe shrugs. Jo grins, folding the discarded costume, and stashing it where Abner’s sharp eyes would not find it in the morning.  
“Merry Christmas. Now, get some rest. I’ll finish Santa’s work, here.” she says, stopping to give him a hug before he could disappear down the hall.  
“Merry Christmas, Jo.”

**Author's Note:**

> To the recipient: I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas, and that your 2017 is off to a good start. Best of luck, dear!


End file.
